EPCOT Test Track to be reimagined

[osian]

Could this not apply to depictions of other countries through movies/IP as a way of showing how we in different countries are able to more easily connect to different cultures through the media we watch? Which emphrasizes why it matters so much that we feature cultures different to our own in movies as it allows us to get a basic level understanding and pulls up in to learn more about what we were shown?

Understanding and learning through media might actually be a good topic for a new pavilion! In a general sense though, not specifically about Disnmey multimedia (so it would never happen). Futuroscope is a whole theme park in France devoted to multimedia (in a different way from which some movie parks went in the 80s).

 

[DCBaker]

Photos from today:

 

[James Alucobond]

Willing to argue it doesn't really need an interior update.

It's dated but in like, a Cute way, you feel me?

What, the pavilion? It’s dated in an absolutely not-cute way. Horrible color scheme, sad draped banners from the ceiling, carpeted walls, ugly wavy space dividers in the food court, etc. If they’d kept all of the original features, then maybe, but they removed most of that ages ago and generally introduced generic 90s trends.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Understanding and learning through media might actually be a good topic for a new pavilion! In a general sense though, not specifically about Disnmey multimedia (so it would never happen). Futuroscope is a whole theme park in France devoted to multimedia (in a different way from which some movie parks went in the 80s).

I think it could be a whole park but realistically, we already have a park with a bunch of countries with some of them needing the facelift. Throw in a Luca attraction, Tangled boat ride, Mary Poppins dark ride or hell even the spinner, and a Coco retheme and we're talking some serious capacity now. I'd probably toss in a Japan and/or Morocco ride to better balance out the WS but thats besides the point. I think that IP has a place in EPCOT and it does make sense for it in certain aspects.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

What, the pavilion? It’s dated in an absolutely not-cute way. Horrible color scheme, sad draped banners from the ceiling, carpeted walls, ugly wavy space dividers in the food court, etc. If they’d kept all of the original features, then maybe, but they removed most of that ages ago and generally introduced generic 90s trends.

Is it too late to build the old design for the Land pavillion..? lol

 

[James Alucobond]

Is it too late to build the old design for the Land pavillion..? lol

I think that would’ve probably aged worse. The outside generally still looks great, including the mosaic. It’s the inside that really needs a refresh.

 

[flyerjab]

I think that would’ve probably aged worse. The outside generally still looks great, including the mosaic. It’s the inside that really needs a refresh.

Could not agree more. The outside of the Land Pavilion looks great, especially the small water feature. When I walk into the pavilion, there is nothing that even speaks, let alone screams land. Sunshine Seasons could be made to look so much nicer than it does. In reality though, the entire interior from top to bottom needs a redo.

 

[JoeCamel]

I think that would’ve probably aged worse. The outside generally still looks great, including the mosaic. It’s the inside that really needs a refresh.

DO NOT TOUCH THE CARPET MURAL!!!!!!!!!!

 

[aladdin2007]

none of the balloons even go up and down anymore like they use to, all of it really needs a refresher. It use to feel so much bigger with just the fountain in the middle....but the carpeted walls I love, I know its outdated, but it just screams original Epcot and there is very little left of original Epcot. And please for the love of....update the finale tunnel scene in Living with the Land already. That scene is 30 years old,,..sheesh.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

I’m so glad to see how many people feel that The Land needs an interior refresh.

I’ve always strongly disliked the “generic” look of the post-Soarin’ interior, but most people I spoke with have basically said “it’s fine.”

I think its weakness is getting more obvious as time passes (it’s aging poorly because it was never properly “timeless” but instead based on contemporary design trends) and because the Central Spine’s “90’s-looking” visual clutter (which made The Land look sufficiently elegant by contrast) is now gone.

What does this have to do with Test Track? If it were up to me, I’d consider updating The Land’s interior to of be the highest priority after Test Track—or at least equal priority with the SSE update, but definitely above JII (which should be a much longer-term project if being being anyway), WoL, and any work on The Seas. The reasons are that (a) it could be relatively fast / inexpensive and not that disruptive, and (b) making the pavilion’s interior something special / beautiful / inspiring again would add a lot to the guest experience without much time/cost. Unfortunately, though, since it won’t have a clear ROI, it’s probably “low priority” at best.

 

[James Alucobond]

Unfortunately, though, since it won’t have a clear ROI, it’s probably “low priority” at best.

I think you could tie a significant portion of a redo to a Sunshine Seasons refresh/relaunch, which they frequently do even without super clear ROI. SS, Garden Grill, and Coral Reef are all overdue for refreshes, and the former two could easily be lumped into a Land overhaul.

 

[Moth]

I don't feel comfortable with current management touching The Land without doing something really stupid to LWTL or Soarin'.

 

[James Alucobond]

There’s nothing there to mess up in the main building. The LwtL queue and mural aren’t special at all, and the Soarin’ queue is basically nothing.

 

[ToTBellHop]

There’s nothing there to mess up in the main building. The LwtL queue and mural aren’t special at all, and the Soarin’ queue is basically nothing.

It’s all fun and games until LwtL becomes a Zootopia ride.

 

[Jayspency]

Understanding and learning through media might actually be a good topic for a new pavilion! In a general sense though, not specifically about Disnmey multimedia (so it would never happen). Futuroscope is a whole theme park in France devoted to multimedia (in a different way from which some movie parks went in the 80s).

reminds me of the movie pavilion that became DHS

 

[JD80]

My wife always walks into the Land and says it reminds her of an old ugly mall that should have been demo'd decades ago.

 

[dmc493]

bring back the ceiling murals, it would add so much to the space. and maybe swap out the god-awful metal tree-esque pole lighting.

 

[etc98]

I know it probably isn’t feasible to retrofit something like this into an existing building, but I’ve always thought they should fill it with live plants. Something like the Jewel in Changi airport in Singapore. Obviously on a smaller scale, but water and plants would go a long way in making it feel more modern, and probably also more timeless

 

[James Alucobond]

I know it probably isn’t feasible to retrofit something like this into an existing building, but I’ve always thought they should fill it with live plants. Something like the Jewel in Changi airport in Singapore. Obviously on a smaller scale, but water and plants would go a long way in making it feel more modern, and probably also more timeless

This gets brought up a lot for whatever reason, but the central rain vortex alone cost well over $1B US, in construction costs from 5–10 years ago. It's not just that it wouldn't be feasible to retrofit, it's that it would be insanely expensive for what should instead be a more sensible facelift of a space that already has good bones. But yes, some more organic features would be nice.

 

[Bocabear]

"The Land" is missing from the interior public spaces of the pavilion entirely... When you enter through the glass doors THE LAND should hit you thematically...not another shopping mall and food court. Why can't all the interior roof supports and structure look more organic... Like they have grown there from the land... Why is there no water feature... It has 2 attractions... LWTL Could use a nice refresh and it's original song put back into the ride, and the "Airport" aesthetic they added for the addition of Soarin' has to go... What if the central concourse looked like it organically grew from trees... the floors, different strata of the earth... Cascading waterfalls from the upper to lower tiers.... The entire central core looking like a forest...As you move into LWTL showing man's taming of the land...it would kind of make sense...and could be something really spectacular...